Starting aids in the form of a conductive stripe on the outside of a fluorescent lamp have been employed. The effectiveness of such stripes can be enhanced by electrically connecting one end of the stripe to one of the lamp base pins by means of a high impedance element such as a discrete resistor or capacitor. Such types of starting aids are relatively expensive and difficult to apply. Also, the connecting impedance must be welded or soldered to both the base pin and the stripe.
In lamps which employ metal base caps it is possible to paint the stripe (usually formed from a conductive paint) along the lamp and onto the base cap to eliminate soldering; however, starter function can be impaired if the base cap should become loosened and break the connection of the base cap and stripe. Further, this latter method can not be employed with plastic or non-electrically conductive base caps.